Macedonia

Macedonia
An afternoon in Ohrid

Friday, November 6, 2009

Site Visit in Gostivar

I just got back from our site visit in Gostivar. A site visit is our chance to meet our counterpart in the organization we'll be working in, see the city, and confirm our apartment site, so it is much anticipated by all the trainees. Three of us went to Gostivar, which is a gorgeous town nestled at the end of a mountain valley. Huge mountains rise up from the edges of town, which of course fills me with excitement - I can hardly wait to get out there and hike. My counterpart is a gem - very sweet. He works for the regional sheepbreeders association where I'll be based, and I spent 3 days meeting all kinds of people. We visited a cheese factory, extension office (much like extension offices in the States), the local municipal government, a microfinancing NGO and a major sheep farm. We also went to a 3 hour meeting, conducted both in Albanian and Macedonian, that is identifying an infrastructure project to do. I felt like I was already getting primed for the job he wants me working on with him, which is creating an overarching association that unites all primary producers with processors and technical experts to facilitate more efficient and competitive farm to market operations. We also had delicious pizza at his cousin's pizza restaurant, saw another cousin's produce store, and I met his other cousin who works in a business related NGO. That's typical of Albanian and Macedonian culture. It's hard for them to understand what we're doing here so far from our families. They trace them back for generations and seem to be related to everyone in town either directly or through marriage. But for me it's great - it means I have instant connections in Gostivar. My apartment is very nice - I have a living room, small dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom with a small washing machine. Kacy is moving into the West Village in NY, and I bet my apartment is as big as hers! BTW, a little motherly pride, we just received word she passed the New York bar - congrats, my sweetie! I took treats into class today to celebrate.

South of Gostivar is the major national park in Macedonia, which I've heard is lovely. The sheep graze in mountain pastures in the summer, and I've been promised that I will be taken up there to visit. The family at the farm we visited were lovely - we had a good visit and were served the most delicious soft sheep cheese ever. It was four months old and had been made by the owner of the farm. They milk 200 sheep in the summer up in those mountain pastures - all, of course, by hand. I'd love to see the operation. I still can't quite believe this is what I'll be doing - seems like a dream. I was also given a huge wheel of hard sheep cheese at the cheese factory - tangy and delicious. My co-volunteers call me mother cheese!

Enough for now, friends. I'll write more and include pictures of Gostivar after I move there - I'll have internet access at my house. I had to move to Macedonia to get good internet access - Marlow just had dial-up. Hope everyone is well and thriving!

5 comments:

  1. Lovely, Joe keeps saying "how do they ever bother milking sheep" " have you ever tried to milk a ewe?" and I say"yes" I did for our lambs. I googled the town and saw how nice it is and the National Park that you are talking about. There are pictures so I could see, the buildings, apts, towns square, fountains, pig farms, the mountains in the back etc. Sure is nice to be able to check it out, give me the address and I will be looking it up. b

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  2. Spent the weekend in Wenatchee with Dave and Karen while attending a Washington Leadership Development get together in Leavenworth. That's the group Inga works with. Had a nice time at both venues. Inga is doing well. Shared your link with Dave and Karen when I got home. Congrats to Kacy. happy news!

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  3. Hey Candy! As Jan said, she gave us the link to your blog. What an adventure you must be having. We are preparing for winter here. There is new snow in the mountains and we have had a couple of hard freezes. Kell is in Pullman this weekemd visiting Sarah. He seems to be doing OK in his classes here and really enjoys his job. We visited Lauren in Bozeman for parents weekend. She is doing well. She has a great roommate, seems to enjoy her classes and even has time for choir and a swing dancing club. Hope you are well. We had a fabulous visit to New York. We were amazed and satisfied to make the Springsteen Concert and enjoyed some shows on Broadway. Congratulations to all for Kacy's success on the New York Board exam. We are sorry we missed her. Maybe next time. Take care.

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  4. Can't wait to see your new place and compare it to our own village apartment.

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  5. It's so fascinating. I wonder what will happen to the close family ties after Macedonia is admitted into the EU, making it will be easier for children to leave home for economic opportunities elsewhere in Europe. It would be great to have it both ways: a strong sense of belonging to place and community and access to global economy enticements.

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